Waisake Naholo has burst out of the blocks in his Highlanders career and puts it down to all the good advice he is getting on and off the field.
Naholo scored the try which won the game for the Highlanders last night, showing some deft footwork from 10m out and then expertly scoring in the corner.
It was an impressive effort from the Taranaki right winger, who has impressed in his first two games for the franchise.
He said the try - just his second at this level - was a case of working his opposite.
''I just saw him outside me. I thought I'd run a short ball to bring him in and then go back out. Then just try to get to the tryline. Just managed to get there,'' Naholo said.
Naholo said talk on the field and off it was giving him a boost.
''I really love the environment down here. The coaches and the players have really helped me. There is a lot of talk on the field and off the field as well. Guys like Bender [Ben Smith] and Mala [Malakai Fekitoa] really help you. The coaches have just totally backed me.''
Coach Jamie Joseph said Naholo was an exciting player who was playing well. He thought the backs were standing too flat at times and that was crowding the wingers.
Overall, Joseph said the win was a step in the right direction.
He said the side perhaps was concentrating too much on winning the game rather than looking at performance.
''Last year no-one gave us a chance so it was easy to play rugby. But after last year, when we had a successful season, the players themselves really want to win.
''There were times in that game there where we need to back ourselves a bit more and be a bit freer. I do think they [the team] want to win and that is not a good focus. Performance is key to success. If you perform really well, then you normally get the result.''
The Highlanders would have to be a lot better next week to beat the Chiefs in Hamilton, he said.
The scrums were a real contest throughout and both teams were keen on scrummaging.
That led to a real desire for both scrums to win the battle, in turn leading to much time at the scrums.